Accused kidnappers denied bail
KIDNAPPING for ransom is becoming too prevalent in the country, and a magistrate yesterday demonstrated society’s outrage when he denied two accused men bail and remanded them into custody. "Kidnapping is becoming too prevalent," acting Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington remarked in the San Fernando First Magistrates’ Court. Yesterday, accused Gary Gobindass, 24, and Rishi Etwaroo, 26, both of Southern Main Road, Claxton Bay, appeared before Wellington charged with kidnapping cousins Amit Mohan, 24, and Vedeesh Mohan, 20, from Amit’s Gulf View home on June 4. Amit, the son of the proprietor of Priyas Creation, was released at the Old Sugar Factory Road, Reform Village, on June 13. Vedeesh was shot in the thigh then released along the Mosquito Creek three days after the kidnapping incident. He is the son of a Princes Town jewel store proprietor. Twelve charges were read yesterday to both accused, Gobindass and Etwaroo, which took Wellington half an hour. The charges against both men alleged — "Robbery with violence of a motor car; possession of a firearm; possession of ammunition; wounding with intent; assault and false imprisonment of Amit Mohan; assault and false imprisonment of Vedeesh Mohan; kidnapping of Amit Mohan; kidnapping of Vedeesh Mohan; false imprisonment of Amit Mohan; false imprisonment of Vedeesh Mohan. The rest of the charges against both men, alleged — "Robbery of Amit Mohan’s cellphone valued $150, jewelry and $600; robbery of Vedeesh Mohan’s wallet, identification and credit cards, jewelry, cellphone and $300." Cpl Phillip of the San Fernando CID laid the charges. The charges arose out of the kidnapping of Amit and Vedeesh, who were abducted from the West Coast Drive home of Amit while the cousins were playing pool around 11.30 pm. Kidnappers called for a $5 million ransom, but police sources said that the family paid $54,000 cash and $38,000 in jewelry. Yesterday, police prosecutor Cpl Wendell Fernando objected to bail after telling the magistrate that both accused men had four charges pending in court. Those charges are for allegedly being in possession of narcotics, robbery and wounding. However, attorney Brian Dabideen, who represented the accused men, told Wellington that his clients had a fixed place of address and were prompt in attending their court cases. In pleading for bail to be granted, Dabideen told Wellington that the accused men were innocent until proven guilty. However, Wellington ruled that due to the prevalence and seriousness of the charges, he was denying bail. He advised both accused Gobindass and Etwaroo of their right to apply for bail before a judge in Chambers. They were remanded into custody to re-appear on July 1.
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"Accused kidnappers denied bail"